Remember the beer can grilling trend? Not everyone does, so it's high time to introduce a brand new generation to the quirky approach to grilling, says barbecue guru Steven Raichlen, the cookbook creator behind titles like “The Barbecue!” Bible,” “Project Fire” and “The Brisket Chronicles.” .
In case you missed the original viral phenomenon that occurred at the turn of the century, before it even went “viral,” here's an easy way to grill a whole chicken. You put a half-full can of beer on the grill, place a whole chicken on top so that the bird is standing upright, and then slowly cook it at a low temperature.
There's of course many variations – for the rub, for the liquid, for everything – for this campsite and backyard favorite, and they filled Raichlen's Original “Beer can chicken“Cookbook published in 2002. Two decades later, a new, revised edition has just been published, complete with recipes for Coke Can Chicken, Cola barbecue sauce, Grilled artichokes and more.
“In general, I take a more scientific approach to grilling,” says Raichlen. “I have written a lot about the history of barbecue. This was my quirky book and it’s kind of fun to see it back in print!”
Of course we had questions.
Q I ponder what was the inspiration for a complete cookbook about beer can chicken anyway?
A I discovered beer can chicken about 20 years ago. I got here across it at a barbecue festival in Memphis. I didn't invent it. It's so quirky, unusual and just plain fun. I showed it on Good Morning America and the response was phenomenal, after which I wrote a story about it for them New York Times, and it became something… and I believed, let's use beer can chicken as a metaphor and travel the world with this concept. The original (cookbook) sold half 1,000,000 copies – it was just the correct book at the correct time.
Q What makes this grilling technique so effective?
A There are two foremost reasons for this. The first is the position itself. You roast the bird in an upright position, so it receives 360 degrees of warmth and the skin on the back becomes just as crispy because the skin on the front. The second thing is that it's just quite a lot of fun. Eyes pop. That makes my jaw drop. It is uniquely American. I can't imagine a French or Italian chef coming up with this. It shows our original pondering, no limits, every idea is value pursuing.
Q The cookbook incorporates many alternative drink and bird mixtures. What were a few of your favorites?
There is one other dish called Diabolical Chicken. I actually have a level in French literature, which is a wierd background for barbecue, but one way or the other works. After college, I lived in Paris for 2 years and studied medieval cuisine in Europe. And a part of what I did for that was I went to culinary school where I learned to make a dish called Chicken a la Diable. It is a spatchcock chicken coated with mustard, breaded with breadcrumbs and garlic and grilled. I like the best way my classical French knowledge found its way into this distinctly American book about beer can chicken.
Q What advice do you’ve got for people wanting to grill this summer?
A The whole secret to successful grilling is learning to regulate the fireplace, not let it control you. … One method to do that is to create a zone fire, where there’s a hot zone, a middle zone, and – most significantly – a security zone without coals where you possibly can place the food when it starts to burn . Another little mantra is: keep it hot, keep it clean and keep it lubricated. Start with a grill grate, clean it with a stiff wire brush or wood grill scraper, and oil it with a paper towel dipped in oil or a bit of beef fat. The idea is that in case your grill is clean and well lubricated, food won't stick.
Q What other unusual grilling methods would you recommend?
A I feel my favorite is one other form of grilling that I form of pioneered: caveman-style grilling, where you remove the grill grate and place the meat directly on the embers. The epitome could be a Caveman T-Bone This creates a superficial charring and a totally different smoky taste than when grilling on a traditional grill grate.
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